The California Medical Association has filed a request for an “en banc” (full court) review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the State of California from implementing a 10% cut to Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates. In December 2012, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit ruled that the state could move forward with the rate cuts, passed by the Legislature in 2011, despite an earlier district court ruling that the cuts would irreparably harm the millions of patients who rely on Medi-Cal for health care. CMA and the other plaintiffs in the case are requesting a rehearing from the full court.

CMA and the other plaintiffs--including the California Hospital Association, California Dental Association and California Pharmacists Association--argue that reducing payments in the Medi-Cal system will force providers out of the program at a time when millions of new patients are entering the program. The plaintiffs also argue that the cuts will devastate access to care, not only for existing Medi-Cal patients, but also the 900,000 children moving from the Healthy Families program into Medi-Cal in 2013 and the millions of patients who will be newly eligible for Medi-Cal under the Affordable Care Act in 2014.

“Cutting payment to Medi-Cal providers by 10% will have a huge impact on patient access to care,” said CMA President Dr. Paul Phinney. “The state is in much better fiscal shape now than when these cuts were initially proposed in 2011. With millions of new Medi-Cal patients entering the program under the Affordable Care Act, we simply cannot continue to cut resources and expect successful implementation of health reform in California.”

All local physicians are invited to a free reception on Thursday evening, Feb. 21, to honor new Sonoma/Marin Assemblymember Marc Levine. The reception--which is sponsored by Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP), a coalition to protect MICRA--will run from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Country Villa, 81 Professional Center Parkway, San Rafael.

To RSVP for the reception, contact Marissa Schriver at mschriver@micra.org or 916-448-7992 x4. If you’re unable to attend, you are encouraged to make a donation to Levine’s 2014 campaign, which has already begun. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Marc Levine for Assembly 2014 (ID #1353695) and mailed to CAPP, 1215 K St. #2015, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Levine won a spirited election for the Assembly last fall and is a strong supporter of MICRA, the landmark legislation that keeps California’s malpractice insurance rates among the lowest in the nation.

Want to make your voice heard in state government? If so, you’re invited to attend CMA’s free Legislative Leadership Conference in Sacramento on Tuesday, April 16--one day after income taxes are due. Hundreds of physicians from all over California attend this annual event.

The morning includes speeches from key legislative leaders. Speakers for 2013 haven’t been confirmed yet, but last year Gov. Brown addressed the conference. In the afternoon, attendees go to the Capitol to meet with their legislators on health care issues.

To RSVP for the conference, contact Cynthia Melody at cmelody@scma.org or 707-525-4375. She will arrange for transportation to Sacramento.

New CMA President Dr. Paul Phinney, a Sacramento pediatrician, is scheduled to speak at the SCMA membership reception and dinner on Thursday, May 9. Details are still being confirmed, but the date has been set. Please mark your calendars.

Nonprofit health organizations in Sonoma County are encouraged to apply for Community Grants from the Pacific Foundation for Medical Care. The grants, generally in the $10,000 range, are awarded twice a year by the nonprofit foundation to support local projects that enhance health services. The application deadline for the next round of grants is April 2. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 707-525-4281 or kpass@rhs.org. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org.

Linda McLaughlin, the graphic designer for Sonoma Medicine magazine, has agreed to take on the additional responsibility of serving as ad representative for all publications produced by SCMA, including the magazine, SCMA News Briefs, the Sonoma County Physician Directory and the SCMA website.

McLaughlin (no relation to SCMA attorney Larry McLaughlin) replaces Erika Goodwin, who will continue to serve as associate director of the Napa and Solano medical societies and to sell ads for their publications. Because of McLaughlin’s background as a graphic designer, she can help advertisers design new ads or revise existing ones. Advertisers with signed contracts can receive one free hour of her time.

SCMA members can place free classified ads in Sonoma Medicine and SCMA News Briefs, and they get a 15% discount for display ads. Advertising rate sheets for all SCMA publications can be found at www.scma.org/adrates.asp.

To place an ad, or to get help with designing an ad, contact McLaughlin at Linda@scma.org or 707-525-4359.

The Meritage Medical Network--which includes more than 500 physicians in Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties--has been granted Accountable Care Organization (ACO) status by Medicare. The new status will allow Meritage to benefit from cost savings achieved by coordinating care for Medicare beneficiaries with hospitals and other providers. Currently Meritage is partnering with Santa Rosa Memorial, Marin General and most other non-Kaiser and non-Sutter hospitals in the area. They are also affiliated with Western Health Advantage, a Sacramento-based HMO that just expanded to the North Bay.

The arms race is still in full swing in Sonoma County, although it has expanded to include hands, knees, feet and even entire bodies. Both Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation have recently installed high-power imaging systems with a wide range of capabilities. Memorial is offering a wide-bore MRI that is intended to improve patient comfort and improve image quality. Sutter has opened an Advanced Imaging Center in Santa Rosa that features a 128-slice CT scanner, another wide-bore MRI, digital mammography and digital x-rays.

Healdsburg District Hospital has appointed George Protos as interim CEO for the hospital until a replacement can be found for former CEO Evan Rayner. Protos, the human resources director for the North Sonoma County Healthcare District, will probably only serve until the end of February, when the hospital hopes to announce a new CEO.

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for February. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

• Healthy Families: Important program changes (Feb. 5)

• HIPAA compliance: Final HITECH rule (Feb. 6)

• Impact of ICD-10 (Feb. 7)

• E/M services review 1: Documentation requirements (Feb. 12)

• E/M services review 2: History component (Feb. 13)

• E/M services review 3: Examination component (Feb. 19)

• E/M services review 4: Medical decision making (Feb. 20)

• Practice mergers (Feb. 27)

The second annual Childhood Obesity Bay Area Conference will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., in San Francisco. Acclaimed science writer Gary Taubes, author of “Why We Get Fat,” headlines a distinguished panel of speakers. This year’s conference will provide fresh insights into the various factors contributing to childhood obesity, and how leaders in the field are addressing those challenges. To register, visit www.sfcoba2013.eventbrite.com.

The 20th annual HIV/AIDS Review will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Rosa. Speakers includes Drs. Marshall Kubota, Danny Toub and Andy Desruisseau. For information and reservations, call the North Coast AIDS Center at 707-303-8904.

Family medicine positions available with Annadel Medical Group in Sonoma County. Contact James.DeVore@stjoe.org.

Office space needed, Petaluma

Medical office space needed in Petaluma near Petaluma Valley Hospital for physician to see patients, no staff needed. Need one day a week, Monday or Thursday. Contact Tammy at 707-252-8407 or nvna@napanet.net.

Office space needed, Santa Rosa

Medical office space needed in Santa Rosa for physician to see women’s health patients. Need one day a week. Contact Kristyn at 415-827-9945.

SCMA members get free classifieds!

SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Linda McLaughlin at 707-525-4359 or linda@scma.org.

The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) issued a statement on Dec. 19 that because of Congressional inaction the agency will be forced implement the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula cut of 26.5% beginning Jan. 1.

If Congress does adjourn without addressing the payment cut, CMS has said it will follow normal claims processing procedures. That is, claims will not be held and Medicare carriers will process payments for physician services provided after Dec. 31 under the normal 14-day cycle required by law. Payment for these claims would be based on the new, lower fee schedule conversion factor of $25.0008, as opposed to the current rate of $34.0376.

The California Medical Association (CMA) has spoken with California leadership in Congress to confirm that the “fiscal cliff” negotiations have broken down. There is also no agreement within Congress to pass a stand-alone SGR bill.

Both Republican and Democratic leaders understand that physicians cannot sustain a 26.5% Medicare payment cut, but it is now caught up in the politics of the fiscal cliff. It is critical that physicians keep contacting their members of Congress to demand action.

In addition to the SGR cut, physicians are facing a potential 2% “sequestration” cut. The sequestration cuts are part of the $1.2 trillion in cuts required by the budget deal worked out to end last year’s debt-ceiling crisis.

Ultimately, CMA does not think Congress will allow the cuts to go forward on any long-term basis. At this time, it is impossible to predict whether the 112th Congress will find a way to pass a stop-gap measure before adjourning, how long such a measure would last, or how long payment cuts will be in effect until legislation can be passed after the 113th Congress convenes in January.

Congress is once again putting Medicare patients and the practices of physicians who treat them at significant risk.

“The health care delivery system is going to see an influx of patients in the next 18 months,” said CMA President Dr. Paul Phinney. “We simply cannot continue to cut resources while adding more patients. The result will be millions of patients with insurance coverage, unable to see a physician. This is especially true in California, where we are also battling cuts to the state’s Medicaid program at the same time.”

The financial disruption this situation will cause for physicians and their practices is unacceptable. CMA will continue to fervently convey this message in the strongest possible terms to Congress and the Administration. Our grassroots network has been activated, and we are seeking your voices to tell Congress just how deeply its inaction will affect you.

Despite these efforts, CMA feels compelled to advise physicians to start making plans to mitigate this disruption and meet their own financial obligations in January. Given the potential impact on practice revenue in early January, physicians should be certain that adequate arrangements are in place to sustain their practices. For those physicians who are forced into the untenable position of limiting their involvement with the Medicare program because it threatens the viability of their practices, we urge that patients be notified promptly so that they, too, can explore other options for obtaining needed medical care.

Physicians should also be aware that they have until Dec. 31 to make changes to their Medicare participation status for 2013. For more information on your participation options, see the AMA Medicare toolkit at www.cmanet.org.

CMA will remain engaged throughout the holidays and keep you informed of any new developments. Meanwhile, contact your members of Congress and urge them to work together to stop the Medicare payment cuts before they take effect on Jan. 1. Use the AMA Grassroots Hotline at 800-833-6354. You will be asked to enter your zip code and select your Representative. Please select your Representative first, then call back to connect with Senators Boxer and Feinstein.

Though phone calls are most effective, you may also contact your members of Congress via email. Talking points and sample letters are available in CMA's grassroots action center.

Rep. Darrel Issa (R-San Diego) and Rep. Sam Farr (D-Monterey/Santa Cruz) are pushing a compromise Medicare Locality pilot program that would update California’s Medicare physician payment regions and payment rates and help to improve access to care. Because of the Medicare formula, physicians in California’s rural areas would experience a corresponding payment cut, so the proposal would hold rural physicians harmless from cuts.

A California administrative Medicaid funding source has been identified to pay for the “hold harmless,” so there is no cost to the federal government. Once the funding expires in 2017, the localities would revert back to the 2012 locality designations. While this is not the permanent solution that CMA has been seeking, it is a short-term compromise to help improve access to physicians in the 14 negatively impacted counties while protecting access to care in rural areas.

CMA is urging physicians to contact Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and ask them to include the “California GPCI locality pilot” in the Medicare SGR/fiscal cliff legislation.

The SCMA Board of Directors is launching an extensive strategic planning project and invites all local physicians to participate in an online survey about SCMA and healthcare issues. Survey results will help guide SCMA board members as they consider a strategic plan for 2013 and beyond. The goal of the plan is to ensure that SCMA fulfills its mission of supporting physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community.

The survey is confidential, but SCMA members who choose to identify themselves will be entered into a drawing for an iPad. Nonmembers who submit an SCMA application form and pay their 2013 dues will also be entered into the drawing.

The survey consists of 16 questions about community health and SCMA, with plenty of opportunities for additional comments. It should only take 5 minutes to complete.

Medi-Cal primary care physicians will have to wait to receive the higher reimbursement rates that were set to go into effect on Jan. 1 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The delay has been caused by a state health plan amendment that must receive federal approval. It is not yet known when the federal approval process will be completed, but the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has said the earliest it would be able to implement the increase is summer 2013. DHCS has been unable to provide any detailed information regarding the reason for the lengthy delay.

This 100% federally funded increase was intended to recruit more physicians to treat low-income patients who will be newly eligible for health coverage under the ACA. With the increase, primary care physicians should see their reimbursement rates raised to Medicare levels in 2013 and 2014. According to Medicare, states must also incorporate the increased payment rates into their contracts with managed care plans so that primary care physicians contracting with Medi-Cal managed care plans see the higher rates.

California is not alone in this delay; several other states are in the same boat as well. The final federal regulations governing the two-year primary care physician rate hike were released on Nov. 1, which did not give states much time to write and submit the necessary plan amendments.

DHCS has indicated that regardless of when it is implemented, the increase will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013. However, they have been unable to say when the rate increase will happen and exactly how retroactive payment will function, apart from indicating that physicians will not be required to resubmit claims.

An overflow crowd of more than 100 physicians, spouses, significant others and guests attended the annual SCMA Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa. The evening began with a lively social hour, followed by dinner and awards presentations to five local physicians and the Redwood Community Health Coalition. The presentations were made by longtime colleagues of the awardees, and the stories they told were by turns amusing and inspiring. Every awardee received a standing ovation.

Members who pay their 2013 SCMA/CMA dues by Jan. 15 get a 5% discount. To qualify for the discount, dues must be received in CMA’s Sacramento office by Jan. 15, not just postmarked by that date. Dues invoices were mailed earlier this fall. If you need a copy, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org.

Longtime Sonoma County pulmonologist Dr. James Gude has received a Rural Health Champion award from the California State Rural Health Association. The award recognizes Dr. Gude for his achievements in bringing critical care to patients in rural hospitals via telemedicine. Dr. Gude, who is on staff at Healdsburg and Palm Drive hospitals, runs OffSiteCare, a telemedicine company that supports 10 rural hospitals in Northern California.

Former SCMA President Dr. Jan Sonander, a Santa Rosa family physician in private practice, was profiled in the Dec. 16 issue of the Press Democrat. The article focuses on Dr. Sonander’s work with the disabled population at group homes across Sonoma County. He is also in his second term as chief of staff at Memorial Hospital.

Family and friends of the late Dr. Herbert Polesky, a well-known pathologist, have established the Polesky Memorial Fund to benefit Healdsburg District Hospital. The fund, to be administered by the Community Foundation of Sonoma County, will be used to facilitate access to care for underserved populations, support prevention and education services, and improve laboratory services.

United Healthcare and Sutter Health are teaming up to offer Signature Value Alliance, a new HMO product for Northern California. The plan, already available in Southern California, is targeted toward smaller employers. More than 1,600 physicians in the North Bay and San Francisco will be part of the HMO network.

The Palm Drive Medical Clinic, located across the street from Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol, will transition to the Prima Medical Foundation in February. The physicians who currently work in the clinic will join the Prima Medical Group.

Sonoma Valley Hospital has signed an agreement with Tacoma-based Sound Physicians for comprehensive hospitalist services at the 83-bed hospital. Sound Physicians, which recently acquired the Bay Area Inpatient Group, includes more than 500 hospitalists.

The Petaluma Health Center was recently honored by Partnership HealthPlan for achieving a range of goals established by the nonprofit plan, which offers managed Medi-Cal services to patients throughout the North Bay.

REACHAir Medical Services--established in 1987 by the late Dr. John McDonald, an emergency physician at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital--has been acquired by Air Medical Group Holdings, a nationwide company that operates more than 200 medical airplanes and helicopters in 27 states.

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for January. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

• HIPAA and Meaningful Use (Jan. 9)

• Medi-Cal application forms training (Jan. 16)

• Understanding ARC and CARD revenue codes (Jan. 23)

• The aging physician (Jan. 24)

• Physician’s guide to protecting your practice (Jan. 29)

• Keys to successful contracting (Jan. 30)

Physicians who meet one of the Medicare electronic prescribing hardship exemptions but did not file by the June 30 deadline have another opportunity to apply before Jan. 31. To assist physicians with questions regarding the electronic prescribing rules and applying for an exemption, CMA has posted the Medicare Electronic Prescribing Overview in the Resource Library at www.cmanet.org.

The 20th annual HIV/AIDS Review will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, at the Hilton Hotel in Santa Rosa. Speakers includes Drs. Marshall Kubota, Danny Toub and Andy Desruisseau. For information and reservations, call the North Coast AIDS Center at 707-303-8904.

Medical office space needed in Petaluma near Petaluma Valley Hospital for physician to see patients, no staff needed. Need one day a week, Monday or Thursday. Contact Tammy at 707-252-8407 or nvna@napanet.net.

Office space needed, Santa Rosa

Medical office space needed in Santa Rosa for physician to see women’s health patients. Need one day a week. Contact Kristyn at 415-827-9945.

SCMA members get free classifieds!

SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Erika Goodwin at erika@scma.org or 707-548-6491.

The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

The hour is late, but reservations are still being accepted for the annual SCMA Awards Dinner on Dec. 6. The dinner is free for SCMA members. Spouses, guests and nonmembers are $50 each.

To RSVP, or to purchase tickets, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. Mail orders can be sent to SCMA, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Please indicate dinner choice: either “duet” (prawns and steak) or vegetable lasagna.

The dinner runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Vintner’s Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa. The festivities begin with a social hour at 6, followed by dinner and the awards presentations. Award winners include Drs. John Dervin, Sanjay Dhar, Catherine Gutfreund, Jeff Haney and Mark Netherda, along with the Redwood Community Health Coalition.

Operation Access, which coordinates donated surgical and specialty care for uninsured and underserved patients, will co-host a Celebration of Medical Volunteerism with SCMA and the Marin Medical Society on Tuesday, Dec. 11, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This informal free event will be held at the Lagunitas Brewery, 1280 N. McDowelll Blvd., Petaluma.

All local doctors and their spouses or significant others are invited to attend and are asked to bring an unwrapped holiday gift for a foster child. Beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and wood-fired oven pizza will be offered, along with live music from Under the Radar (folk, blues, bluegrass) and the Petaluma High School Jazz Combo. The evening also includes a brief program honoring community volunteers, with special recognition for Dr. Julie Clark, Dr. Anne Delaney, Dr. David Galland, and Gale O’Connor, CRNA.

To RSVP, contact Daniel Rabkin at rsvp@operationaccess.org or 415-733-0004. The event is cosponsored by the Meritage Medical Network, Kaiser Permanente, Marin General Hospital, Sutter Health and St. Joseph Health. For more details, click on the link below.

Later this month, SCMA will be sending an online survey to all local physicians asking for their thoughts and insights about the medical association and healthcare-related issues. Survey results will help guide SCMA board members as they consider a strategic plan for 2013 and beyond. The goal of the plan is to ensure that SCMA fulfills its mission of supporting physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community.

SCMA members who choose to identify themselves will be entered into a drawing with a chance to win an iPad. Nonmembers who submit an application form and pay their 2013 dues will also be entered into the drawing.

SCMA is still accepting updates for the 2013 Sonoma County Physician Directory. The directory features photographs and detailed listings for all SCMA members, including their specialty(s), special medical interest and medical training. Basic information for nonmember physicians is included as well.

To update your listing, return the directory verification form to SCMA by Dec. 31. If you need a copy of the form, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org.

Members who pay their 2013 SCMA/CMA dues by Jan. 15 get a 5% discount. To qualify for the discount, dues must be received in CMA’s Sacramento office by Jan. 15, not just postmarked by that date. Dues invoices were mailed earlier this fall. If you need a copy, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org.

There’s still time to donate to the Holiday Greeting Card project, which helps fund scholarships for deserving students who are Sonoma County residents and are currently enrolled or intending to enroll in a medically related field of study. Last year’s effort helped raise $31,000 in scholarship money--a record amount--for a dozen students in medical, nursing and allied health programs.

Donors who contribute by Dec. 6 will be acknowledged in a holiday greeting card sent to physicians throughout the county. The card features a photograph by Santa Rosa pediatrician Dr. Leland Davis.

Donations can be made by mail or by visiting the SCMA Alliance website at www.scmaa.org. The program has given scholarships to local students since the 1960s, and several former recipients are currently practicing medicine in Sonoma County.

Dr. Dale Westrom, a dermatologist with offices in Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, has received a Member Making a Difference award from the American Academy of Dermatology. The award is in recognition of Dr. Westrom’s volunteer work with the Brighter Days Program and his establishment of a walk-in dermatology clinic. He will be honored at the Academy’s upcoming annual meeting.

The rapidly expanding Petaluma Health Center has hired two more physicians. Dr. Jose Chibras is an internist from the South Bay, where he served as chief medical officer and interim CEO for Salud Para La Gente. Dr. Carlin Chi, who attended Harvard Medical School and UCSF, is a family physician from San Mateo County. In addition to these new physicians, the Health Center has also hired a geropsychologist and two physician assistants.

Annadel Medical Group has added three more physicians. Dr. Rebecca Wolk, a pediatric hospitalist, and Dr. Meghana Gaiki, an internal medicine hospitalist, are both at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Dr. Kenny Mai is an internal medicine hospitalist at Petaluma Valley Hospital.

Dr. Donald Dean, a longtime SCMA member and former medical director of the old Sonoma State Hospital (now called the Sonoma Developmental Center), died in November at the age of 85. Born in Ohio in 1927, he served in the Army as a photo lithographer and bugler during World War II. He received his MD from Ohio State University and then completed a psychiatry residency in San Francisco. After working in Buffalo for several years, he was lured back to California with a job offer from Sonoma State Hospital, where he worked from 1968 to 1983. He subsequently worked at several other institutions before retiring to Sonoma County, where he continued to work as a locum tenens psychiatrist. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Jane Dean, as well as three children and five grandchildren.

Three Sonoma County hospitals received an “A” grade in updated hospital safety scores from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit founded by large purchasers of health benefits. Kaiser Santa Rosa, Petaluma Valley Hospital and the soon-to-be-closed Sutter Warrack Hospital all received top marks for minimizing infections, patient injuries, and medical or medication errors. Three other hospitals earned B’s or C’s, and two were not rated. No one received a D or an F, the lowest grade. For complete listings of all 2,600 hospitals participating in the ratings, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for December. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

Medical volunteers of all types are needed for a Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps clinic to be held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California during April 2013. The clinic will provide free medical, dental and vision care to patients with limited access to care. For more information, or to volunteer, visit www.ram-ca.org.

Medical office space needed in Petaluma near Petaluma Valley Hospital for physician to see patients, no staff needed. Need one day a week, Monday or Thursday. Contact Tammy at 707-252-8407 or nvna@napanet.net.

Office space needed, Santa Rosa

Medical office space needed in Santa Rosa for physician to see women’s health patients. Need one day a week. Contact Kristyn at 415-827-9945.

SCMA members get free classifieds!

SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Erika Goodwin at erika@scma.org or 707-548-6491.

The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

Who can turn down a free dinner, particular when it’s with your friends and colleagues? Right now is the best time to RSVP for the Dec. 6 SCMA Awards Dinner, which is free for SCMA members. Spouses, guests and nonmembers are $50 each.

To RSVP, or to purchase tickets, contact Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 or rachel@scma.org. Mail orders can be sent to SCMA, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Please indicate dinner choice: either “duet” (prawns and steak) or vegetable lasagna.

The dinner runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Vintner’s Inn, 4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa. The festivities begin with a social hour at 6, followed by dinner and the awards presentations. Award winners include:

• Dr. Sanjay Dhar, a Santa Rosa cardiologist, for Article of the Year (“You Will Be Assimilated,” Sonoma Medicine, Winter 2012).

• Dr. Jeff Haney, program director of the Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, for Outstanding Contribution to the Community.

• Dr. Mark Netherda, former deputy public health officer, for Outstanding Contribution to Sonoma County Medicine.

• Dr. Catherine Gutfreund, a family physician at Kaiser Santa Rosa, for Outstanding Contribution to SCMA.

• Dr. John Dervin, a longtime Santa Rosa family physician, for Lifetime Achievement.

Operation Access, which coordinates donated surgical and specialty care for uninsured and underserved patients, will co-host a Celebration of Medical Volunteerism with SCMA and the Marin Medical Society on Tuesday, Dec. 11, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This informal free event will be held at the Lagunitas Brewery, 1280 N. McDowelll Blvd., Petaluma.

All local doctors and their spouses or significant others are invited to attend and are asked to bring an unwrapped holiday gift for a foster child. Beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and wood-fired oven pizza will be offered, along with live music from Under the Radar (folk, blues, bluegrass) and the Petaluma High School Jazz Combo. The evening also includes a brief program honoring community volunteers, with special recognition for Dr. Julie Clark, Dr. Anne Delaney, Dr. David Galland, and Gale O’Connor, CRNA.

To RSVP, contact Daniel Rabkin at rsvp@operationaccess.org or 415-733-0004. The event is cosponsored by the Meritage Medical Network, Kaiser Permanente, Marin General Hospital, Sutter Health and St. Joseph Health.

Verification forms for the 2013 Sonoma County Physician Directory have been mailed to all local physicians and are now due back at SCMA. The form allows doctors to update or verify their listing in the Directory, a standard reference guide used at medical offices throughout the county. If you haven’t returned your form yet, please do so ASAP. If you need a copy of the form, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375.

Because the Directory is sold to the public and posted on the Internet, please do not list your personal phone number, home address or personal email address. SCMA strongly recommends that you only list your office phone, office address and office email.

The Physician Directory, now in its 55th year, features photographs and detailed listings for all SCMA members, including their specialty(s), special medical interest and medical training. Specialty, city and phone for nonmember physicians are included as well. If you’re a nonmember and want a more detailed listing, contact Rachel Pandolfi at rachel@scma.org or 707-525-4375 about joining SCMA. You can also join online at www.scma.org/join.asp.

The presentation and breakout sessions will address the epidemiology of prescription drug abuse; identify key steps for reducing the risk of dependency; and recognize prescriber practices that contribute to misuse. The conference, to be held in the Vesalius Room at SMCSR, is accredited for 3.25 hours of Category 1 CME and costs just $30, which includes lunch. (Cost for family medicine residents is $15.)

To register online, visit tinyurl.com/9ym5xxk or contact Rebecca Munger at 707-565-4553 or rebecca.munger@sonoma-county.org. The conference is cosponsored by the Department of Health Services, Partnership HealthPlan, Community Prevention Initiative and Santa Rosa Community Health Centers.

Sonoma County has joined a growing list of California counties that require staff in hospitals, nursing facilities and other high-risk settings to get an annual flu shot each fall. The order, issued by Public Health Officer Dr. Lynn Silver-Chalfin in mid-October, takes effect Dec. 15. Anyone who declines the order will be required to wear a surgical mask. The order does not apply to clinics and other low-risk settings, but it does recommend that staff in those facilities get a flu shot as well.

The SCMA Alliance is hosting a free holiday cocktail party for SCMA members and their spouses or significant others on Saturday evening, Dec. 1. The event, to be held at a private home in Santa Rosa, includes heavy appetizers, beer, wine, and plenty of holiday cheer. To RSVP, contact Lynn Rambach at lramb@sbcglobal.net or 707-523-4250.

Physicians and their families are asked to give generously to this year’s Holiday Greeting Card project. The proceeds help fund scholarships for deserving students who are Sonoma County residents and are currently enrolled or intending to enroll in a medically related field of study. Last year’s effort helped raise $31,000 in scholarship money--a record amount--for a dozen students in medical, nursing and allied health programs.

SCMA members will soon be receiving a letter from the SCMA Alliance Foundation asking for donations to next year’s scholarship fund. Donors who contribute by Dec. 6 will be acknowledged in the Holiday Greeting Card. The greeting card, which will feature a photograph by Santa Rosa pediatrician Dr. Leland Davis, will then be sent to physicians throughout the county.

Donations can be made by mail or by visiting the SCMA Alliance website at www.scmaa.org. The program has given scholarships to local students since the 1960s, and several former recipients are currently practicing medicine in Sonoma County.

The board of trustees of the California Medical Association has voted to oppose Proposition 32, which would ban corporate and labor union contributions to political candidates. The proposition would also prohibit government contractors from contributing money to government officials and would forbid the use of payroll-deducted funds for “political purposes.”

CMA believes that Prop. 32 would impact the ability of CMA’s political action committee to receive contributions from members who use a corporate entity to pay CMA dues. The proposition would also impact doctors or local medical societies who hold government contracts.

Consumer, education, environmental and health care groups throughout California--including Californians Allied for Patient Protection, which protects MICRA--are opposing Prop. 32. In addition, nearly every major newspaper in the state has editorialized against the proposition.

Longtime Santa Rosa gastroenterologists Drs. Richard Auld, Paul Hornberger, R. Logan Faust and Sumit Kohli have joined the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation. They will remain in their office at 1210 Sonoma Ave. Also joining Sutter is Dr. Helena Longin, a board-certified dermatologist, who will practice at 3883 Airway Dr., also in Santa Rosa.

Drs. Loie Sauer, Francesca Manfredi and Dennis McDonald were quoted at length in a recent Press Democrat article on mammogram screening guidelines. Both Dr. Sauer, a surgeon at Kaiser Santa Rosa, and Dr. McDonald, a radiologist at the Sutter Women’s Health Center, recently wrote articles on mammograms for Sonoma Medicine. Dr. Manfredi serves on the SCMA board of directors.

Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa recently received 5-star ratings from HealthGrades in almost a dozen different categories of care, from heart attack and hip replacement to pneumonia and sepsis. The hospital was also recognized for its women’s health programs. HealthGrades rates about 5,000 hospitals across the United States based on clinical performance in 28 categories. Grades range from one star (below average) to five stars (highest quality). Healdsburg District Hospital also received a 5-star rating for its hip fracture treatment program.

West County Health Centers has been selected to participate in the Learning from Effective Ambulatory Practices (LEAP) study being conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study is trying to determine the most effective health care delivery models in light of the physician shortage and the pending implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The West County centers--which have implemented electronic medical records and established a wellness program--are one of just 30 primary care practices nationwide to be included in the study.

The Petaluma Healthcare District has begun the formal process of re-evaluating its agreement with St. Joseph Health System to manage Petaluma Valley Hospital. The agreement doesn’t expire until 2017, and St. Joseph’s has indicated it would like to continue managing the hospital, but the board of the public district is nonetheless exploring its options, which may include soliciting proposals from other potential managers.

Add Roseland Pediatrics to the growing number of clinics affiliated with Santa Rosa Community Health Centers. The newest addition--nearly 4,000 square feet in a southwest Santa Rosa shopping center--began in a crowded mobile trailer at Roseland Elementary School, a space it has long since outgrown. The new site, directed by pediatrician Dr. Meredith Kieschnick, has 10 exam rooms and is staffed by three pediatricians, three medical assistants and a nurse. The clinic, which opened in October, will serve about 3,000 children.

For the 16th time in 17 years, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has won a Consumer Choice award from the Modern Healthcare journal. The result is based on a nationwide survey of consumers conducted by the National Research Corporation. The hospital was among 297 nationwide to achieve the distinction.

The following CMA webinars are scheduled for November. Webinars begin at 12:15 p.m. and run until 1:15 or later. To register, visit www.cmanet.org. Seminars are free for CMA members and their staff; cost for nonmembers is $99 per person.

* Understanding ARC and CARC revenue codes (Nov. 7)

* 2013 updates to meaningful use (Nov. 8)

* State disability insurance online (Nov. 14)

* Successful Medi-Cal provider enrollment (Nov. 15)

* Understanding the CBAS transition for dual eligibles (Nov. 28)

* California: A physician melting pot (Nov. 29)

CMA members can get a $200 discount on ICD-10-CM training sessions offered by AAPC, the nation’s largest coding organization. Available in either classroom or online webinar, this 3-part series gives your staff a high-level overview and fundamental knowledge of ICD-10. You’ll learn documentation challenges, the differences with ICD-9, and how ICD-10 will affect each business area of your practice. The webinars run from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. or 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The next series begins on Nov. 29, with additional webinars on Dec. 6 and 13. To learn more, go to www.cmanet.org/aapc and log in to receive the discounted member price.

Family medicine positions available with Annadel Medical Group in Sonoma County. Contact James.DeVore@stjoe.org.

Office space needed, Petaluma

Medical office space needed in Petaluma near Petaluma Valley Hospital for physician to see patients, no staff needed. Need one day a week, Monday or Thursday. Contact Tammy at 707-252-8407 or nvna@napanet.net.

SCMA members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Sonoma Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Erika Goodwin at erika@scma.org or 707-548-6491.

Note: Because of Internet privacy concerns, News Briefs no longer lists phone numbers, fax numbers or email addresses in the Applicants section. Instead, that information will be listed in the next print edition of the Sonoma County Physician Directory.

The Sonoma County Medical Association, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1858, SCMA is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association.